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A friend of mine took the time to research the name, phone number and social media (if applicable) for the State Representatives who are responsible for sponsoring H.R. 5034. For those that don’t know, this bill could potentially eliminate a wineries ability to directly ship to customers or self distribute. Direct to consumer is the bread and butter for a lot of small business wineries. This friend, who we’ll call Agent X, will remain anonymous because he’s wanted by the U.S. Government (no not really). Actually, he has a valid point. In a previous article I’ve called the three tier […]

Today’s DrinkNectar post is featured on Cork’d. Head over there and check out the story about Twitter wine tasting events. Cork’d is becoming a fantastic resource for wine news and I’m proud to be a part of it. Twitter wine tasting events are changing the wine community. I had the honor of co-sponsoring #WAMerlot and saw firsthand the power of the online community. As a wine brand, these events offer little or no cost opportunities for brand impressions, building your customer base and interacting with your existing customers. As a wine consumer, they provide an opportunity learn, engage and […]

Today’s DrinkNectar post is featured on Cork’d. Starting this week, I’ll be featuring two posts per week over with the fine folks at WineLibrary! Cork’d is becoming an online playground for all things wine. STOP THE MADNESS – NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION Read the post here and be sure to take action. April 19, I created a Facebook page to help draw attention to the potentially disastrous legislation that would cripple small business wineries and could close the doors on direct to customer shipping. The page is an aggregate of information and a space to express your concerns […]

Towering high on the hills above the Spokane Valley, Arbor Crest is a picturesque spot for any event and a picture of transformation of quality and direction. The state’s 29th winery began with brothers Harold and Dave Mielke’s departure from the family business of orchards, strawberries and cherry pie filling to growing grapes on the Wahluke slope. With an initial production of 7000 cases in the first year, Arbor Crest’s past is defined by sweet white wines. Moving into their second generation (and nearly 30 years in the Washington wine business) Harold’s daughter, Kristina Mielke-van Loben Sels and her husband […]

So, here I am sitting in the tasting room, with an amazing view of the hills north of Spokane. Like a typical Spring day in the Northwest, the clouds are simultaneously flirting with rain and sunshine. I’m sipping on a 2002 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with the wine maker. The wine has JUST NOW been released. How many wineries that you know are releasing their 2002 wines in 2009/2010? Townshend Cellars has grown from a small production boutique winery to a powerhouse of quality producing over 20,000 cases per year from a selection of 20+ wines. Located 20 miles North […]